


Until next time

by Heather_Night, Iresposts



Category: Animal Kingdom (TV)
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-15
Updated: 2019-05-15
Packaged: 2020-03-05 16:02:48
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,140
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18831967
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Heather_Night/pseuds/Heather_Night, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Iresposts/pseuds/Iresposts
Summary: Adrian thought he should let go of Deran, push him away but he couldn’t. It was probably too late. Deran thought that Craig didn’t know, but Adrian had seen the way Craig looked at them sometimes, but they both pretended for Deran.For the Deran x Adrian Exchange 2019





	Until next time

**Author's Note:**

> Gift for @theninjazebra

Adrian opened his eyes. It was a pale blue washed out dawn. He was cold as hell because they’d slept outside. Well, one side of him was cold, and the other well, wasn’t. Adrian’s neck felt stiff. He had been sleeping on one shoulder with his neck propped on a roll of paper towels. It had obviously made sense last night.

That wasn’t the surprising start to the morning though, it was Deran pressed to Adrian’s front. Adrian had one arm over him. Deran was still asleep, hair messy and tangled in Adrian’s face. Adrian lifted his head slightly to look around, but there no one. Just the fire, which was nearly out now, with just a few sullen embers alive. A couple of blankets were still spread on the sand, and their cooler. The rest of them had left. That left Craig. He’d been getting friendly with a couple of women last night, which was his thing, but he didn’t usually leave them behind. Usually. There was that one time at Huntington Beach.

Adrian thought he should let go of Deran, push him away but he couldn’t. It was probably too late. Deran thought that Craig didn’t know, but Adrian had seen the way Craig looked at them sometimes, but they both pretended for Deran.

The whole time yesterday, despite Deran nailing every wave he’d had a look on his face that said he was bleeding on the inside. Adrian knew that one. Unexplained bruises and glass in Deran’s throat that stopped him from telling Adrian what was wrong. He’d get over it, but meanwhile he’d not let go of Adrian.

Deran had been hurting so he’d been glued to Adrian’s side, not wanting to talk. He was rarely like that, nearly always ready to party, so whatever had happened had been significant. The clinging in public was unheard of. Okay, so it had been Deran’s shoulder touching Adrian’s all night. He’d go to piss, or get himself another hunk of meat, or a beer but he’d come back and sit pressed to Adrian’s side. Occasionally the pressure would be so hard that Adrian knew that Deran wanted to be held properly.

They couldn’t do that, of course. Not here with other aspiring young surfers, not back home in Oceanside.

They’d sat there staring at the fire whilst people talked and laughed and told stories. Two silent statues.

“Hey Deran, Deran, that was so awesome man, you–” Tom-from-San-Diego looked down at them. Adrian tried to shift away, but Deran followed, shoulder still pressed to him. “The last wave, you just—” Tom kept talking about Deran’s technique, his smoothness, but all Adrian paid attention to was Deran’s expression. Before it was blank and now it was moving to grey. He couldn’t cope with this conversation not without losing it.

“Deran?” Adrian saw Deran’s head turn his way. “Could you get me that blanket from the car?”

“Sure man,” Deran said and left. 

Adrian talked to Tom about the event and gently passed him onto Mel. Junior league groupies were a thing.

Adrian went to find Deran. He was leaning against the truck, blanket in his hand. A lost baby Cody. Even though it was getting dark Adrian could see the shine in Deran’s eyes.

“Do you want to tell me?” Adrian asked.

Deran shook his head. He never did, but Adrian knew something that would help a little. He took the blanket and headed towards the headland. It was going to be a walk, but Adrian thought it would probably help. They were pretty battered from the comp this morning, but Adrian would put up with it and Deran? He probably felt nothing other than the hurt done to him.

As soon as they were out of sight of the bay and the fire rings and into the scrub, Adrian grabbed onto Deran’s hand and squeezed. That’s how they climbed up the loose scree, holding hands, despite the detriment to their balance and sense. Adrian was breathing heavily by the time they got to the top. He imagined it was a lovely view during the day but all they could see was oily black water and a smear of moon.

Deran spread the blanket out and they sat there for a few minutes getting used to the wind and the silence. Adrian reached for Deran and pulled him into his arms and held him until his shoulders finally started shaking and whatever he’d shoved down came back up. Once it had passed Deran undid Adrian’s pants and took him to hand. Adrian gasped. No matter how many times they did this, it was always just a little too much. Deran knew what to do, how fast, the right pressure, where to twist. It was quick, and Adrian came in Deran’s hands.

When Adrian went to return the favor, Deran twisted away but not before he realized that he wasn’t aroused at all. Sometimes Deran let Adrian hold his smallness in his mouth, soft and warm and comforting. But not today. They silently packed up, knowing that Craig might have an attack of responsibility and try to find them, and they didn’t really have any good excuses.

When they got back Tom was gone and it was only a bunch of Craig’s friends left and being just that bit older than them the boys didn’t register. They spread the blanket beside the fire and sat down. Adrian got himself comfortable and soon after there was Deran with his shoulder against his, and that’s how they stayed the night. A beer or two turned into more and Adrian started listing, which was how they ended up lying down together.

Adrian would never push the matter–or his feelings–but being with a warm, dozy Deran like this was just as good as catching the ultimate wave: early morning, offshore wind, with a ride that breaks and peels down the line.  

The magic gift of speed with a clean break all the way to shore. 

If only Deran wasn’t broken in other ways.  

His musings drifted away with Deran’s easy inhalations and exhalations in his ear.  

“We gotta get going,” said Craig. Adrian blinked his eyes open again. It was warmer, the morning light brighter. Craig pressed his giant boot into Deran’s chest and kicked gently. Deran sprang up and tried to get space between them. The usual.

They got up and followed Craig to the car. Sitting in the front was some dude Craig knew from Oceanside, so they had the back seat to themselves for the ride home. They got in and Deran carefully placed the blanket between them. Craig started the car and then there was music, and Deran’s hand sliding into his underneath the cover of the blanket and they’d be together until they got home.

Until next time.

 


End file.
